Radio program annunciator



Aug. 8, 1939. s. BABCOCK RADIO PROGRAM ANNUNCIATOR Z5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 1, 1936 TIMESWITCH 6 30 OFF lax/292%)".- @armlswzfiama W/m Aug. 8, 1939.

G. BABCOCK 2,168,662

RADIO PROGRAM ANNUNCIATOR Filed April 1, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Aug. 8, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- RADIO PROGRAM ANNUNCIATOR Application April 1, 1936, Serial No. 72,103

8 Claims.

. from time to time from the radio broadcasting studios. It is a. well known fact that the information with respect to programs, as thus dispensed, is very incomplete and unsatisfactory. Unless one keeps in mind the meaning of a large variety of terms or names, one is unable to obtain complete information with regard to various programs which may be available.

When announcements are given from the broadcasting studios, regarding programs which are to be given during the next few hours, it is diflicult to remember them. Moreover, such information is comparatively incomplete, since it relates only to the programs which are to be transmitted from'the studio at which the announcements are being made, or to certain particular programs.

In order to render radio broadcasting more satisfactory, an eifort should be made to provide more complete information with'regard to radio programs which are to be given over the air. This would be of particular benefit to those persons or companies that use the radio as a medium for advertising, since it would be possible to more definitely attract radio listeners to certain programs than is now possible with the present day arrangement. The chief difiiculty: at present resides in the fact that there is no satisfactory preselecting device, insofar as I am aware, by means of which it is possible topick out the various programs to which it is desired to listen and which would provide some sort of reminder that the program is about to be given.

There are many instances where one has intended to listen to a certain program which appears to be of special interest, but which one has forgotten when the time arrives at which the program is to be given. This is often a matter of keen disappointment and regret.

It is, therefore, an object of my invention, generally stated, to provide a radio program annunciator which shall be simple and efilcient in operation and which may be readily and economically manufactured.

The principal object of my invention is to provide for preselecting the radio stations to which it is desired to listen during a predetermined interval, such as the 24 hours of a day.

An important object of 'my invention is to provide for audibly signalling when a preselected radio program is to be broadcast.

Another object of my invention is to provide an audible signal indicating that a preselected. radio program is to be given and for stopping the operation of the audible signal after it has been given for a predetermined time.

A further object of my invention is to provide for preselecting a; plurality of programs during a predetermined interval, and eflecting the operation of a control device according to the preselection.

Still another object of my invention is to provide for automatically turning on and off a radio set, according to a preselected schedule, during a scheduling interval such as 24 hours.

A more specific object of my invention is to provide a radio program annunciator having a selecting board divided according to the normal length of radio programs, circuit means disposed to be operated by a. clock mechanism for audibly signalling that a program is to be given, or automatically turning on and oil a radio set, and a plurality of plugs for insertion in jacks in the selecting board for preselecting any desired radio program and for turning the set 011 at certain desired times.

Other objects of my invention will in part be obvious and in part appear hereinafter.

My invention, accordingly, is disclosed in the embodiment hereof shown in the accompanying drawings, and it comprises the features-of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth, and the scope of the application. of which will be indicated in the appended claims.

For a more complete understanding of the nature and scope of my invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a view, in front elevation, of a radio program annunciator constructed in accordance with my invention;

Figure 2 is a view, in end elevation, of the device shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 33 of Figure 1; and v Figure 4 illustrates, diagrammatically, the circuit connections which maybe employed in operating the annunciator.

According to my invention, I have provided a circular selecting board which may be divided into intervals corresponding to the normal length of radio programs. This interval is normally fifteen minutes, and, therefore, the selecting board may be divided into quarter-hour intervals, each corresponding to a particular time in the 24 hours of a day. The selecting board is provided with'a jack at the beginning of each division into which plugs, corresponding to different radio stations that it is desired to hear, may be inserted. The insertion of a plug in a jack causes the movement of a contact segment to engage a contact. arm, which may be driven by a clock -mechanism, when the time arrives at which the preselected program is to be given, and, as a result, a circuit is completed which may be effective either to give an audible signal indicating that the radio set should be turned on and tuned to the desired station, or may be effective to automatically turn on the radio set. The plugs may be'of different colors, each color corresponding to a different radio station, so that a glance at the selecting board and the hand of the clock mechanism will indicate the particular station that should be tuned in.

It is also desirable to provide for automatically shutting down the radio set at predetermined times when it might otherwise beforgotten. For

this purpose, an additional set of jacks is provided in the selecting board, one being positioned at the end of each division. On insertion of a plug in any of these Jacks, a contact segment will be moved into the path of the contact arm driven by the clock mechanism at the end of the corresponding period, and a circuit will be completed which is effective to disconnect the radio set from its power source.

Referring now particularly to Figure 1 of the drawings, it will be observed that the reference character 9 designates, generally, a radio promay comprise a cabinet i 6, having a face i i that may be covered by means of a glass cover l2, Figure 3, underneath which a hand i3 is arranged to be rotated by means of a clock mechanism thatwill be described hereinafter. The face H is provided with a scale Hi around its periphery, which, as indicated, covers the 24 hours of the day.

Associated with the scale it and positioned concentrically therewith is a selecting board it, which is composed of insulating material, such as a moulded phenolic condensation product, in which a 'plurality of on jacks i 6 are located in staggered relation at each quarter-hour division mark of the scale I 3. At the end of each quarter-hour division, an off" jack i7 is provided, as illus trated. The on and off merely transverse openings in the selecting board i5 into which plugs will be inserted as set forth hereinafter, the diameter of less than the diameter of the on jacks to prevent confusion.

At the bottom of the cabinet W a magazine It is provided in which, for example, red plugs i9, White plugs 20, blue plugs 2| green plugs 22, black plugs 23, purple plugs 24 and white plugs 25 may be inserted in suitable openings 26 in racks in "on" and of jacks i6 and i? are.

the "01? jacks being vided individually with the call letters of several diiierent stations to which it will probably be desired to listen only once during a 24 hour pethis plug in one of the o jacks H5 in the selecting board i 5, at the time corresponding to the announced time at which the program will be given. 1

When this time arrives, as will be set forth hereinafter, a buzzer signal may be given, the tone of which may be controlled by means of a knob 27, to indicate that the time has arrived when the preselected program will be given. On glancing at the selecting board and noting the position of the hand i3 and the plug to which it points, the radio set may be turned on and tuned to the preselected station.

n In order to render the selecting board i5 visible at night, a lamp 28 may be provided as shown.

The lamp may be mounted in the cabinet ill and may project therefrom, or it may be mounted within the cabinet l0, thereby illuminating the selecting board l5 and the face H of the clock mechanism indirectly.

In certain instances, it may be desirable to manually control the operation of the radio set which would otherwise automatically be controlled by the annunciator. shown in Figure.2 of the drawings, "on and "off buttons 29 and 3B are provided in the side of the cabinet I0 for manually effecting the operation of certain relays asv will be described hereinafter.

For this purpose, as

Referring now particularly to Figure 3 of the drawings, it will be observed that the details of construction of the selecting board i5 and associated apparatus are there illustrated. As shown, an ofi plug 3|, which is one of several that are provided, may be inserted in the off jacks I! in the selecting board i5. Since the diameter of the "oif jacks i7 is less than the diameter of .the on jacks IS, the "ofi plugs 3| are smaller in diameter than the on plugs. The insertion oi the o and off plugs 19 and Si in the jacks i6 and i7, respectively, causes the operation oi on flofi spectively, which are slidably radially mounted on the under side of the selecting board H5. The contact segments 32 and 33 may be formed of spring strip material having a rearwardly extending curved upper portion with which thelower ends of the plugs I9 and 3! may engage to move the fiat top portions thereof radially inwardly. The contactsegments 32 and 33 may be mounted on a suitable insulating ring 32a, as shown.

The plugsi and 35 are arranged to move the top fiat portions of the on and "ofl' contact segments 32 and 33, respectively, into the path of a flexible contact finger 34, which iscarried by means of a bi-metallic contact arm 35 around which a heating coil 36 may be disposed. On energization of the heating element 36, the bimetallic arm 35 will be curved downwardly, due to the unequal thermal expansion of its constituent parts, to move the flexible contact finger 3t downwardly and out of contact engagement with the top flat portions of the 021" contact contact segments 32 and 33, rer segments 32, to break an energizing circuit, as will be described hereinafter. On de-energization of the heating element 35, the bi-metallic contact arm 35 moves upwardly. Its upward movement is limited by means of an upward limit stop arm 31, which is so positioned that when the bi-metallic arm 35 is engaged therewith the flexible contact finger 34 will be aligned with the top flat portions of the contact segments 32 and 33. v

The action of rotary movement of the contact arm 35 combined with the delayed action of the thermostat, i; e. the time required to cause the downward warp of the bimetallic contact 35, is such that the 'flexible member 34 will release its tension which has been stored up during the time required for the thermal action, and such released tension will move the contact 34 clockwise past the plug projected contact segments 32 or 33. The action of the thermostat warps the bimetallic arm out of engagement with the contact segments 32 or 33 toward the end of the cooperation between the contact arm and these segments, so that as the arm 35 moves up again it is then past the place of cooperation with the contact segments 32 or 33 in the direction of its rotary movement.

As shown, the bi-metallic arm 35 and the upward limit stop 31 are mounted on an insulating hub 33, which, itself, is mounted for rotation with a shaft 39 that may be rotated by means of a clock mechanism 40, Figure 4, having an operating winding 4|. The hand I3 is also mounted for rotation with the shaft 39. While a clock mechanism 40 of the electrically operated type is disclosed, it will be understood that any other suitable clock mechanism may be employed, since the particular clock mechanism forms no part of this invention. In order to provide a sliding electrical contact for the heating element 35 and the flexible contact finger 34, a collector ring 42 is mounted segments 32 and 33 are moved radially inwardly to the positions indicated by the broken lines,

finger 34. Therefore, when the plugs l9 and to a position along the circle 50, which is the path of travel of the end of the flexible contact 3| are inserted in any of the jacks l5 and H, respectively, the contact segments 32 and 33 will be moved to such positions that they will be engaged by the outer end of the contact finger 34 on movement thereof by the clock motor 40, at times corresponding to the positions of the plugs.

In order to provide an audible signal at the time that a preselected radio program should be heard, a buzzer, shown generally at 5|, is provided. The buzzer 5| comprises a core 52 of magnetic material which may be substantially U-shaped and which may be provided with an operating winding 53. The sound may be provided by means of a reed 54 which may bese- 'cured to one leg of the core 52, as illustrated,

and which may be adjustedby means of a cam 55 from the knob 21 mounted on the face of the cabinet l0.

The operating winding 53 of the buzzer 5| is arranged to be energized in series circuit relation with an operating winding 55 of an on relay, shown generally at 51, which comprises a core 58 and a pivotally mounted armature 53,-at the lower end of which is a roller 53a. The on relay 51 is arranged to control the operation of a switch 50, which comprises a pair of spring contact members 5| and 52, the upper contact member 5| being provided with an upwardly curved. portion 63, with which the roller 53a may engage to cause the contact members 5| and 52 to be moved into contact engagement.

The contact members 5| and 52 are held in con- 7 tact engagement by means of a latch 54 which is carried by an armature 55 of an oil relay, shown generally at 55, having a core 51 and an operating winding 58, as illustrated. The on and oil relays may be manually operated by means of the on and ofi" buttons 23 and 30 in the side of the cabinet to, shown more clearly in Figure 2 of the drawings. It will be noted that the buttons 29 and 30 are arranged to move the armatures 59 and 55, respectively, to efl'ect manually what is accomplished automatically on energization of the operating windings 55 and 58 of the on and off relays, respectively.

The program annunciator may be energized from a source of alternating current, and, for

this purpose, terminal connections 14 and 15 are plugged into a suitable power outlet by means of a cord and plug combination 15.

In certain instances, it is desirable to operate a radio set automatically under the control of the program annunciator. For this purpose, contact members 11 and 13 are provided. In other instances, it may be'desired to operate the set independently of the program annunciator, and, for this purpose, an additional terminal 13 is provided. The terminals 11, 15 and 15 may be mounted in a suitable terminal block, and so spaced that the plug of the plug and cord combination may be inserted to engage either the terminals 11 and 18 or the terminals 15 and 19. The plug and cord assembly may be connected to a radio set 5|, the operation of which it is desired to control by means of the program annunciator, or which it'may be desired'to operate independently thereof on operation of the buzzer 5|.

In describing the operation of the program annunciator, it will first be assumed that the cord and plug assembly 80 is connected to the terminals 15 and 19, and that a separate switch (not shown) is provided for controlling the radio set 8|. The various plugs from the magazine |8 are inserted in the various on jacks in the selecting board |5 corresponding to the programs and stations which it is desired to listen to at various times throughout the day. The clock 40 is energized, and the'hand l3 and the flexible contact finger 34, carried by the bi-metallic contact arm 35, will be rotated to positions corresponding to the time'of day. The light 25 will also be lighted to illuminate the face of the annunciator.

Assuming that one of the on plugs is inserted in the on jack licorrespondingto 6:00 oclock in the morning, and that this time has arrived, then the flexible contact linger 34 will engage the on contact segment 32 corresponding to this plug, and a circuit will be completed for energizing the operating winding 53 of the buzzer 5|.

' At the same time, the operating winding 56 of the on relay will also be energized. However, no

.resulting functioning will take place, due to the operation of the "on relay, since the radio set 8 I, under the assumed. conditions, is not connected for automatic operation.

. The circuit for efiecting the energization of the operating windings 53 and 55 may be traced from the terminal 16, through conductor 85, contact brush 43, collector ring 42, conductor 86, heating .element 36, conductor 81, contact finger 34, "on

contact segment 32, conductors B8 and 89, winding 56, conductor 90, winding 53, and conductors 9| and 92, to the terminal 75.

The buzzer 5! will continue to operate until the circuit which has just been traced is opened, due to the downward movement of the flexible contact finger 36 caused by the downward curving of the bi-metallic contact strip 35, so that the finger 34 is moved out of contact engagement with the contact segment 32. It should be noted that the width of the on contact segment 32 is limited to such an extent that the contact finger 36 will have been moved out of possible contact engagement therewith because of the operation of the clock motor 40, so that it will not re-engage the on contact segment when it is restored to its normal position on the cooling of the bi-metallic contact strip 35.

As soon as the buzzer 5i is' operated, a glance at the selecting board i5 will indicate the particular station that was preselected, and the radio I set 8| may be turned on and tuned to the desired program. 1

If it is desired to automatically turn on and off the radio set 8!, then the plug and cord assembly 80 may be connected to the terminals i7 and 18, which will then place the radio set 8| under the control of the switch 68. It will now be assumed that it is desired to connect the radio set 8| for a program to be given at 6:00 o'clock in the morning, and that it is desired to turn it ofi at the end of the program occurring at 6:15 oclock. For this assumed operation, an on plug is inserted in the "021 jack, at the 6:00 oclock position, and an "ofi in the on jack I! at the 6:15 oclock position.

, When the contact finger 3d engages'the contact segment 32 corresponding to the 6:00 o'clock position, the foregoing described circuit will be completed-and the on relay 5? will be operated. The roller 59a will engage the raised portion 63 of the upper contact member 5! of the switch 80, and a circuit will be completed for energizing the radio set 8|. By means of the'hook 6 8, the contactmembers 5i and 62 will be maintained in contact engagement after the operating winding 58 is deenergized by the removal of the contact finger 343 from engagement with the contact segment 32.

The circuit for energizing the radio set M may be traced from the terminal 75, through conductor 93, terminal 18, plug and cord assembly all, terminal .71, conductor 94,. switch 60 and conductor 92, to the terminal 15.

The radio set 8! will then be automatically turned on and, if it had previously been tuned to the desired station, the desired program will be heard. When the contact finger 34 engages the off contact segment 33 at the 6:15 oclock position. a circuit will be completed for efiecting the energization of the operating winding 68 of the off relay 66. As a result, the armature 65 will be attracted, removing the hook 64 from the upper contact member SI and permitting these conprogram arrangement be tact arm, clock mechanism plug 3| is inserted I tact members to spring apart. The circuit, traced hereinbefore, for energizing the radio set 8!. will then be opened and the set will be shut down.

The circuit for energizing the'operating winding 68 is similar to that traced hereinbefore for the energization of the operating winding 53 of the buzzer 5| to the contact finger 34. From the contact finger 36 the circuit continues, in this instance, through the ofi contact segment 33 at the 6:15 oclock position, conductors 49 and 95, operating winding 68, and to the terminal Y While my invention has been disclosed in connection with a radio program annunciator, it will be apparent that it may be utilized for other applications where it is desired that a preselected followed. Therefore, since certain modifications of my invention may be made and different embodiments thereof may conductors 98 and 92,.

arranged contacts, a bimetallic con' means for selectively actuating said first con-' tacts to position for contact with the contact on said bimetallic contact arm, a circuit controlled of said first contacts with the contact on said bimetallic contact arm, and heating means in said circuit adjacent said bimetallic contact arm and energized by closing of said circuit to break contact between said contact arm and said first contac 2. In a device of the class described, a plurality of annularly arranged contacts, a bimetallic contact arm pivotally mounted at the center of said first contacts, a contact on said bimetallic confor turning said arm, means for selectively actuating said first contacts to position for contact with the contact on said bimetalliccontact arm, a circuit controlled by first contacts, the contact on said bimetallic contact arm being in the form of a fiexible spring finger tensioned by engagement with said first contacts and the action of the clock mechanism during the time metallic arm by said heating means whereby to provide a quick acting separation of the contact on said bimetalliccontact arm from said first required for actuating said hi contacts when the contact on said bimetallic arm is'released by said heating means.

3. In a radio program annunciator, a pivoted arm having contact means thereon, clock mechanism for turning said arm, a plurality of contacts normally out of the path of movement of the contact means on said arm, means for selectively actuating said contacts to position to contact the contact means on said arm, a circuit controlled by contact of said first contacts with the contact means on said pivoted arm, a signal in said circuit, and thermally actuated means for moving the contact means on said arm out of contact with said first contact means.

4. In a radio program annunciator, a pivoted arm having contact means thereon, clock mechanism for turning said arm, a plurality of contacts normally out of the path of movement of the contact means on said arm, means for selectively actuating said contacts to position to contact the contact means on said arm, a circuit controlled by contact of said first contacts with the contact means on said pivoted arm, a signal in said circuit, and thermally actuated means for moving the contact means on said arm out of contact with said first contact means, the actuation of said signal being timed by the action of said thermally operated means.

5. In a radio program annunciator, clock mechanism, first contact means actuated by said clock mechanism, second contact means adapted to be actuated into position to contact said first contact means as said first contact means is actuated by said clock mechanism, a circuitcontrolled by contact of said second contact means with said first contact means, a signal in said circuit, and thermally actuated means for breaking contact between said second contact means and said first contact means and timing the actuation of said signal.

6. In combination, a movable contact, means for moving said movable contact, a contact having an operative position in the path of movemerit, of said movable contact to be engaged by said movable contact in the movement thereof, being of resilient construction and tensloned by the means for moving said movable contact upon engagement of said movable contact with the other contact, and thermally actuated means ior moving said resilient contact out of engagement with the other contact.

7. In combination, a resilient contact pivoted for turning movement, cans for turning said re-' silient contact about its pivot, a plurality of contacts having operative positions in the path of movement of said movable contact for engagement by said movable contact in the turning movement thereof, and thermally actuated means for moving said resilient contact in a path intersecting the path of turningmovement thereof to disengage it from the other contacts.

8. In a device of the class described, an arm. pivoted at its inner endand having contact means on its outer end, means for turning said arm about its pivot, a first set of interconnected on contacts normally out of the path of movement of the contact means on said arm and spaced circumferentially about the path of movement of the contact means on the outer end of said arm and adapted to be actuated selectively to position to contact the contact means on said arm, a second set oi interconnected ofl" contacts normally out of the path of movement oi the contact means on said arm and disposed circumferentially about the path of movement of the contact means on the outer end of said. arm with one of the contacts of said second set of interconnected oft contacts between each pair of contacts of said first set of interconnected on" contacts, two sets of jacks, the jacks of one set being smaller than the jacks of the other set, plug means adapted to be inserted jacks for selectively actuating said on contacts to contact the contact means on the separate plug means adapted to be inserted in the jacks oi the other set for selectively actuating said oi! contacts to position to contact the contact means on the outer end ofsaid am, the plug means for actuating said of! contacts being oi a different size than the plug means for actuating said "or." contacts to iit only the Jacks of one of said sets of jacks.

GARRISON BABCOCK.

in the jacks of one of said sets of 

